


flicker and fade

by orphan_account



Series: old gods in forgotten kingdoms [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Abandonment, Character Study, Cold Weather, Devotion, Gen, Goddesses, Manipulation, Mind Manipulation, Old Gods, Rescue, lapslock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-11-22 21:01:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20880608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: when the old light calls to them, they do not answer. not at first. what is a god if they have no people to worship them?[ the radiance and unn, from the perspective of a simple mosskin ]





	flicker and fade

greenpath is always so cold.

shivering slightly, they tug their cloak around themselves; the makeshift covering of leaves is just barely enough to preserve their body heat. even in their location, curled up as they are beside a pool of acid, they think they are going to freeze.

it is always a struggle for warmth within greenpath.

the few sources of heat are the acid pools scattered throughout the area. it is a struggle to reach one. it always is. competition for them is strong and heavy, leaving the weak to claim the area when the strong have perished.

their area is one which is not visited often. a moss knight passed them by once, the leaf covering it wore wilted and drooping. the knight visibly shivers; they will be gone soon, if they do not find food. if they do not freeze.

they suppose they are lucky.

unlike some, they have some warmth. they eat plant life, which is plentiful in greenpath. they have a small pool of water, dripping in excess from the roots of the plants. they are lucky compared to the others who eat meat. they are lucky compared to the others who freeze.

unn's voice is a mournful wail. the god rises to the top of its lake, and the thrum of its voice reverberates throughout greenpath. _"come to Me, My children," _it says. _"you must."_

shuddering as they emerge from their den, they begin to walk. unn paints a map in their mind. they follow the trail along until the lake becomes clear, the familiar curls of acid popping up in the distance. they can see more and more bugs arriving at the shores.

they wait, in silence. they wait. unn has promised to see them after so long. unn has promised to take care of them, to love and cherish their kind. to protect all who dwell within greenpath.

unn does not rise.

a moss knight has curled up within their den. they try to curl up within it, tugging their covering of leaves around their shoulders. it rises up as they lean into the den. its nail is sharp and heavy and cleaves through the ground where they had stood.

they should find somewhere new to stay.

there is a small ledge above the acid pool: it will not be enough for them to live safely, but it will be enough for them to live. they jump up to the ledge and grab it. it's slippy, and cold. too cold. they have nowhere else to go.

unn does not speak to them any more. even their mind is cold without the god's voice. the nail they have taken to wielding is warmer than their body, despite the cold it radiates. they cannot stop shuddering. hissing, they dig the point of their nail into the ground.

it is so cold.

**"oh." **the voice that speaks is warm and bright. they can almost see it ─ it sparkles and glows within their mind. **"poor little thing. to be abandoned by your god..." **they shake their head. unn has not abandoned them! they have not done enough to keep their god happy or to earn their god's favour. that is all.

**"so blind to the truth that you do not see it..." **this must be a god's voice, they are certain. will they no longer be so cold? will they finally feel safe? **"would you accept my offer, little one?"**

_what offer? _they murmur. _warmth? safety? i will do anything to be warm once more._

**"i will not ask anything of you." **She murmurs. Her voice is soft and soothing and She feels warm. they want that warmth. they _crave_ it, desperately so. **"just that you accept my power unto yourself, dear one, and protect me should the need arise."**

_oh, i will i will i will, _they chant. _as long as i can be warm i will. i will pledge myself to you._

they stretch and warp as Her strength seeps into them. orange light warms their vision for just a second, and when it returns they feel stronger. faster. they feel alive again.

they feel warm, and it is because of Her. they will do anything to ensure that that light remains with them.

**"your nail is not strong enough alone," **their god murmurs, Her voice grand. they know her words ring true. if they want to be strong enough to claim their own corner of greenpath then they must find a better nail. where could they find one? **"and a shell, to protect yourself. you would not want to disappoint Me, would you?"**

_of course not of course not my lady, _they respond. Her light glimmers as if She is proud of them. _i shall protect you until my very last breath. _all they can think is that She must be proud of them, if they can feel the warm glow of Her approval.

_...protect..._

unn is but a footnote in their mind, now. that god did nothing for them, they know that now. they do not care about that fallen god. just the sight of the tablets devoted to it set rage alight within their body.

they do not need unn anymore. they have Her, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> twt @ sichengsgods :)
> 
> i think unn is a very interesting character, in that we never see it do anything for its people yet it cares for them nonetheless. i wonder how this would appear to the people? does unn speak to them? do they wonder if unn thinks of them?
> 
> it's a very interesting idea :)


End file.
